Frame Materials

The quality of the leather on the outside of your furniture is one thing. The quality of the wood on the inside is something different altogether.

Kiln-dried hardwoods are the traditional choice for high-quality furniture frames. The kiln-drying process removes nearly all the moisture from the wood, which prevents twisting and warping. Most high-end furniture manufacturers even go one step further and use knot-free wood which helps with the life of the frame.

Furniture made from quality hard woods—such as oak, walnut, ash, or maple—is more expensive. But it lasts longer and can handle more abuse. Softwoods are better suited for decorative furniture or none at all.

** Please note, we left the space out of “hardwoods” on purpose. The term hardwood, refers to deciduous trees. While most of the time the name fits, wood from some of these trees is actually soft. High-quality furniture should be made out of wood that is hard, otherwise hard wood. **

In recent years, furniture made with high-quality plywood has been getting more and more respect from manufacturers and retailers alike. Plywood is an engineered wood made by gluing layers of lumber together under high pressure. It can be quite strong.

However, plywood has a low-grade little brother that goes by several names, including particle board, composite board, and fiberboard. You want to avoid leather furniture using this weak material as it will not last.

Whether your furniture frame is made of kiln-dried hardwood or plywood, the thicker it is, the sturdier it will be. For hardwoods, you want at least 1¼” lumber or thicker. For plywood, it needs to be 11 layers or more.

It is relatively easy to determine the quality of leather by looking at or touching a piece of furniture. But it is much harder to detect the quality of the lumber used in the same way.

This is one reason why it is so important to buy your furniture from manufacturers and retailers you trust. Soon, we'll help you figure out who you can trust.

But for now, let's help you understand how different aspects of design affect furniture quality.

Frame Design

The materials used to construct a piece of furniture are not the only thing that determines its durability.

In addition to the obvious stylistic impact, the design of your next couch or sofa will have a major bearing on how long it lasts. The best leather furniture manufacturers make sure that their furniture is properly balanced and supported. They also stick to dowels and screws over staples.

Different pieces of furniture have different subtleties of design, but there are a few things you should know about different components of your sofa.

Joints

Strong joints are one of the most important features of any piece of high-quality furniture.

Woodworking features a variety of joints for different uses. The consensus in the industry is that the strongest and most long-lasting joints are glued-and-screwed double dowel joints. There's really no disputing it (except by some shady, lower-end manufacturers).

The best furniture makers then add corner blocks to reinforce major joints. These should also be both glued and screwed (no staples!) into place. Otherwise, they are likely to pull away from the frame.

Legs, Back, and Arms

Needless to say, there is a tremendous amount of variety in furniture design. Despite this, there are a few furniture making best practices that you should look for.

First, the legs, if not part of the frame, should also be made of a hard wood. Otherwise, they will inevitably break off or become uneven. The back and arms should also be integrated into the basic frame as much as possible.

Metal brackets and other support pieces may also be used where needed to strengthen unique elements of any particular couch or armchair.

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